Farm Fare #6: Confused

The unmistakeable sounds of new chicks could be heard late Sunday evening (March 11th) and after a quick look yesterday morning, 4 little chicks could just be seen under the protective wings of their Barnevelder foster mother.

Much to our delight, all 12 eggs were hatched and mum ventured out with her little clutch.  This is the first time that we have had an 100% hatching rate.  Like all newborns, they are incredibly cute and so funny to watch.  They are so willing to learn and mimic their mothers actions.

Last night I fed bits of bread to the new mum as a treat for her relentless work.  A broody hen is quite magnificent.  Some mothers are fiercely protective (like our Light Sussex) while others like to give a bit of warning.  But they sit on those eggs day and night for 21-25 days, only venturing for a quick food stop and drink maybe once a day.

When I look at our mini chickens (born in January) I realize how quick they grow.  One of our mini chickens decided to test out his rooster voice the other day - sounded like a teenage boy when his voice is changing.

There's only one big problem......

9 of the cuties, seen here with their foster mum, are this distinctive dark colour .....and













3 of them are this honey colour with no distinctive stripes at all!!  Could they all be the same breed?  Does this mean we have 3 hens and 9 roosters???  Only time will tell I guess - keep your fingers crossed!


We are all a little confused I think.